(picture of Rep. Darius Grays from OPSU)
Piper Reese (OSU)
Things don’t go according to plan in the house chambers.
During caucusing of a bill, delegates started to reminisce about past sessions. One delegate mentioned a bill that everyone knew and they wanted to hear it.
Rep. Riley Pritzlaf from Oklahoma State University called a motion to add that bill to the orders of the day.
“I move by special order to change the orders of the day to add OPSU-501 to the orders of the day,” Rep. Pritzlaff said.
With unanimous consent across the representatives, the bill moved to the orders of the day.
Rep. Darius Grays from Oklahoma Panhandle University wrote OPSU-501. Rep. Grays brought this bill last session, but it didn’t pass through committees. This year, however, it went through committees.
Rep. Grays said his inspiration for this bill came from a personal experience.
“My main motivation was keeping the side piece out of a relationship with the main person,” Rep. Grays said.
Caucusing started strong with questions coming from every delegate. Some delegates were not in favor of OPSU-501 because the language of the bill excluded women being the main piece.
The bill’s definition of a side piece says, “A mistress; a woman with whom a man carries on a physical affair (not emotional affair) without having the intention of forming a serious relationship.”
Other delegates didn’t like the idea that men could cheat with their significant others and get away with it.
“I don’t want to break the heart of somebody I’m with,” Rep. Grays said.
During caucusing, delegates shared stories with Rep. Grays on how they found out their significant others were being unfaithful to them.
Rep. Grays realized how serious delegates were about OPSU-501. He apologized to all delegations and to Speaker of the House Ashley Schultz.
Time for questions started and Rep. Emily King, a delegate from the University of Oklahoma, made a friendly amendment. She changed the definition of the main piece and side piece to inclusive of all people.
Rep. Craig Slagle of OSU also amended the bill striking out several subsections of the new law and striking out a penalty.
OPSU-501 passed in the house with a vote of 25-11. Rep. Grays will present the bill in the Senate later this week.